


Chicken Soup for the New Soul

by Plaidsoulseller



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Caretaker Dean, Eventual Smut, Fallen Castiel, Fluff, Helpful Sam, Human Castiel, Hurt Castiel, Hurt/Comfort, Love, M/M, Protective Dean Winchester, SU - Freeform, Sick Castiel, Sickfic, supernatural universe
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-09-30
Updated: 2014-09-29
Packaged: 2018-02-19 06:23:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,109
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2378102
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Plaidsoulseller/pseuds/Plaidsoulseller
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Castiel has his grace stolen by Metatron. After about a week, he finally arrives at the bunker, feverish and exhausted. Dean takes to caring for the new human, helping him figure out everything he hasn't been able to yet. Including his conflicting feelings on intimacy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Chicken Soup for the New Soul

**Author's Note:**

> In this story, Gadreel never orders Cas out, and Cas never meets or gets killed by April. I own nothing.

When Castiel finally arrived at the bunker, he was weak with exhaustion, dehydration, and hunger. He slammed his fists weakly on the door. "Dean, Dean!" He called out, hoping they were home. It was Sam who answered. "Castiel!" Sam pulled him into the bunker by one of his t-shirts. Cas groaned but soon Dean joined his brother in assisting the former angel. Cas put his arms around both their necks and pulled them in for a hug. Sam was the fist to notice how warm Castiel's skin felt. 

The boys helped Castiel to the couch in their little living area. "What happened to you?" Dean asked carefully.

"I well- Metatron. He stole my grace for the spell and I've been trying to make my way here. It wasn't easy. I've got a lot of angels out for me, but I'm warded now." Cas replied and lifted one of what looked like three shirts to show them his tattoo. Sam and Dean both looked at each other in quiet contemplation. Kevin came into the room and gave Cas some green tea. He'd put a few ice cubes in it so it wasn't too warm to drink. Cas took the tea thankfully. "You're probably dehydrated," Kevin said, "I've got more tea cooling for iced tea in the refrigerator." 

After he finished the tea, he started to sway slightly. His eyes became very heavy and his entire body ached. He rested his head on the back of the couch and Dean and Sam went to go find some clean sheets to set up a room for him. Kevin went back to the kitchen and grabbed some watermelon that he had cut up earlier. He presented it in a small bowl for Cas and again he thanked him and slowly put a piece of watermelon to his lips. It was soft and sweet and cold. The moment it hit the heat of his mouth it started to dissolve into a sweet water. He decided he liked watermelon.

A few moments later the brothers returned to help Cas get to his new room. He leaned on their shoulders and they sat him on his new bed with the clean sheets and the least dusty pillows they could find. Sam went to go grab something out of the other room, and Dean asked Cas if he could get him anything. "More tea," He replied, "I think I'm still dehydrated."

"Sure, yeah, okay Cas."

Dean left the room and went to the kitchen. He got the tea out of the fridge and poured a glass for the ex-angel. On his way back to Castiel's bedroom he met Sam who seemed as though he was looking for something. "What are you doing?" Dean asked.

"Trying to find Cas some clothes, he can't be comfortable in what he's got. He's probably been wearing it all week." Sam replied, holding up two t-shirts that would be gigantic on Castiel's smaller frame.

"No, let me grab him some clothes. My stuff would fit him better. Here, wanna bring this into him?"

Sam nodded and Dean went into his own room and over to his dresser. He pulled out his favorite pair of sweatpants. They were his newest pair, and they still had the incredibly soft fleecy lining that tends to disappear after a few washes. He also grabbed a plain grey t-shirt. Nothing special, but another personal favorite. It was soft and well worn. It almost didn't feel like cotton, anymore. It was thin and soft and comfortable. He nodded to himself and went back toward Castiel's new room. Cas had apparently fallen over in exhaustion on the bed. He laid on his side, his dirty jeans looking uncomfortable. Sam must've gone to do something else, thinking that Cas was situated. Dean sat on the bed next to the new human. "Hey, Cas, I've got some clothes for you..." He reached down and rubbed Cas' back idly, but Castiel winced and his eyes shot open.

"You okay, Cas?" Dean asked feeling concern grow in the pit of his stomach. 

"I'm fine, Dean." Cas said almost sadly. "Thank you for the clothing."

"Need anything else?"

"If you could grab the watermelon that Kevin gave to me, I would appreciate that." Cas asked.

"Sure." Dean stared once again down the hall, feeling like he was running back and forth. When Dean returned, he saw Cas changing. He had already gotten the boxers and sweatpants on, but as he stood shirtless, back to the door, Dean understood why he had winced at his touch. Just between Castiel's shoulder blades and his spine on both sides there were two large open wounds. At the top of each wound was a gaping hole, bloody and oozing. It extended down to the lowest point of his shoulder blades. All around the wounds were varying shades of bruising. From black to purple to blue and even some greenish-yellow. "Cas..." Dean felt anger rise up in his chest at Metatron. He vowed to find a way to kill Metatron. To make him pay. "We need to get you patched up..." Dean said finally.

He bolted from the room to find Sam. He ordered him to grab the first aid kit and the stitches. Sam obliged and Dean grabbed some Tylenol with Codeine that he had lying around from when he broke his leg. He knew Cas must've been in pain. Dean ordered Cas to take a pill and lay on his stomach. They didn't have any anesthetic, so Dean just hoped that the drug would take the edge off. Sam began to clean the wounds and Castiel groaned loudly. Dean sat by him watching him bite down on his lip as Sam cleaned out the blood and pus as gently and effectively as possible. Dean ventured to run a hand through Castiel's hair in a comforting gesture, but it was then that he knew that something was very wrong. "Sammy, He's burning up." Dean looked up at his brother. 

"Go get some ice packs, then. And some water for him to drink. I'll patch him up, I'm way more gentle than you are anyways."

"I could be gentle..." Dean started to argue, but gave up. Sam was right, his hands were more skilled with a needle and thread. Dean left to get the items as Sam started sewing the flesh on Castiel's back together. The area was so sensitive that each time the needle pierced his skin, he let out a pained whimper. Sam's brow was furrowed as he tried to work as quickly and efficiently as possible. He was halfway through the first wound when Dean returned. Again, he sat by Cas and placed an ice pack at the back of his neck. It was then that Dean saw the tears of pain welling in Castiel's eyes. He doubted that the angel... Ex-angel... Had ever experienced a pain so intense. Dean knew he had been tortured in Heaven, but with new human senses this was probably worse. And the healing process would be much slower. 

The painkillers finally seemed to kick in and Dean held onto Castiel's hands and let him grip them so tightly they started to tingle. "It's okay, Cas. I've got you." He whispered. Once Sam was finished, he cleaned up the equipment and let Dean do the bandaging. Dean was better at that. Dean gently taped gauze over the wounds, then unrolled some gauze bandages and wound them around Castiel's torso. They formed an "X" over his collar bones and across his back. Dean could still see the bruises lower on his back, but decided that was good enough. Once finished, he looked into Castiel's eyes now clouded with the controlled opiate. Hopefully the painkiller would bring the fever down too, and Dean placed a few ice packs over the bandages as Castiel lied on his stomach and fell gently to sleep.

Dean decided he should stay in case Cas needed anything, so he grabbed a mat and a sleeping bag and rolled it on the floor by the foot of the bed. It seemed like no time at all when Cas awoke feeling a sharp pain. His throat was sore, his head ached, and he was feeling a little nauseous too. Unaware that Dean was in his room, he let out a loud, pained moan. Dean stirred and cleared his throat enough to say, "Cas, you okay?"

Castiel was confused. "Why are you lying on the floor?"

"I just wanted to stay 'case you needed anything. What's wrong?" Dean said now getting up. His muscles protested from sleeping on the mat, but he pushed himself up to sit on the bed next to Cas. 

"My stitches," Cas started, "I think they need to be checked and my throat is very sore." He coughed a little.

Dean checked under the bandages, he could see a few places that they were a little tighter, but they were intact. He re-bandaged his friend and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Need more pain medication?" Dean asked.

"Yes. It helps to calm the severity of the pain." Cas answered plainly.

Dean placed his hand on Castiel's forehead and frowned. "We gotta get this fever down. I'm gonna grab some ibuprofen for you too. You should probably eat something. Think you wanna get up and have some breakfast?"

"Yes." Cas stated.

Castiel wrapped himself up in his blanket and dragged himself to the kitchen. He sat at the table. Dean cooked bacon and eggs, ordered Cas to take some medication, and made him drink an entire water bottle before he was allowed a cup of coffee. Cas ate with enthusiasm, as if the bacon and eggs and toast were the best meal he'd ever had. It probably was at that point. Sam politely asked how Cas was feeling and if he thought he might be able to shower on his own or if he might need some help. Sam looked at Dean. Dean squirmed a little uncomfortably, but Cas said, "I think I can manage." 

Cas hadn't spoken much all breakfast, which was concerning Dean a little. So afterwards he called Castiel, "C'mon, Cas, lets get you set up until you're feeling better." Cas followed Dean down the hallway back toward the bedrooms. Dean entered his own room and gestured for Cas to come in too. He quickly piled a bunch of pillows against the headboard and helped Castiel get into the bed. "I don't understand, Dean. This is your room." Castiel sank into the pillows and it wasn't unpleasant. In fact, it was very comfortable.

"Yeah, I know. But I just want to make sure you're comfortable, man. The memory foam mattress is way more comfortable than the ones the bunker came with. Just rest here, Cas, okay?"

"Okay."

"Good. See? Even got a t.v. in here. You can watch 'How Things Work' or something."

"Dean, would you like to watch t.v. with me?"

"Uhh... Yeah. Sure Cas." Dean sat on the bed next to the ex-angel. He flipped through the channels until he found a "Pirates of the Caribbean" marathon and decided it was a good choice. Cas stared at Dean sitting on the bed. "I don't think I'm contagious," Cas said, "I think that because I have an infection my immune system is more susceptible to illness. But you don't have an infection so you should be okay to sit next to me."

Dean didn't have an argument, but the situation was getting a little intimate for his liking. Still, his friend was sick. So he got on top of the blankets and began to watch the movie. 

It was a few hours later that Dean awoke. He felt a warm weight pressed against his chest. There was a dark tuft of hair under his chin and resting on his shoulder. Idly, he pressed a kiss onto the the top of the dark brown hair. Warmth. He rested his own cheek against the hair. Drifting in and out of sleep. Again he pressed a kiss to the dark hair, but this time it groaned. A low, gravely groan. Oh. It was Castiel. Cas stirred a little, and Dean had realized that he had been gently kissing the top of this friend's hair. "Cas..." Dean whispered, trying not to startle the new man. Cas groaned again and gently dug his long fingers into the skin just under Dean's collar bone. He adjusted himself on top of Dean and then made a contented noise. _Okay,_ Dean thought. _I'll deal with this when he wakes up._ And he let Cas nuzzle him in his sleep.

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know when I'll be updating. Eventually. Sorry. I just don't have a ton of time to sit and write chapters at a time.


End file.
